Too Much Turkey

A lot is going one right now, right?  Thanksgiving, Black Friday, etc.  In a couple of days, it will all be over and we can concentrate on other things…..like Christmas.  But in the meantime, we are all going to have a large amount of Thanksgiving leftovers.  This year, let’s do something different with them.  Let’s do more than the usual sandwich, soup or tetrazzini.  Let’s do this together.  Wow, that was quite a pep talk, right?

Today I have two recipes using Turkey Day leftovers to show you, and although they are both “breakfast” recipes, they really are amazing at any time of day.  My first recipe is a “Thanksgiving Benedict”.  I have actually made this for years.  I use leftover mashed potatoes to make potato cakes that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.  I top the cakes with “frizzled” (I’ll explain later) turkey, a fried egg and leftover gravy.  Even if you think you ate too much for Thanksgiving, you will totally be able to make room for this the next day.

My next recipe uses leftover sweet potato casserole and cranberry sauce.  I use the casserole to make sweet and delicious pancakes, and the cranberry sauce mixes with maple syrup and orange zest to make the perfect topper for the pancakes.  Sounds good right?

My mashed potato cakes are super easy.  I throw a couple cups of leftover mashed potatoes into my standing mixer with a couple of eggs and some flour.  You can use a hand mixer if you don’t have a standing mixer.  I blend until smooth, and then the cakes get fried in a butter/oil combo.  My family loves these almost more than the mashed potatoes.

Remember when I said “frizzled” turkey?  I really just mean that I fry the turkey just long enough to get brown around the edges and warmed through.  Not quite fried….more of a quick sizzle, so frizzled.  The fried egg and leftover gravy is pretty self-explanatory, yes?

 

This Thanksgiving Benedict is my favorite part of Thanksgiving.  Yes, I know it’s the day after that I get to eat it, but whatever.  I lump all the deliciousness together.

Does your family make the sweet potato casserole with marshmallows and maybe some nuts thrown in?  Well, that makes for amazing pancakes!  Similar to pumpkin pancakes, but even better…because who doesn’t love marshmallows in their pancakes?

I mix leftover casserole into my regular pancake recipe using baking mix.  I also substitute leftover apple cider for milk.  I cook the pancakes until they are golden brown and perfect. 

While the pancakes cook, I heat leftover cranberry sauce with maple syrup and a little bit of orange zest.  Now, I can only recommend this recipe if your cranberry sauce is a sweet version.  Versions using horseradish or mustard might not go over so well.

I top the pancakes with butter and a ton of cranberry maple syrup.  We’ll diet after the holidays, Ok?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  Enjoy your day….and your leftovers the next day!

 

Thanksgiving Benedict

2 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups leftover mashed potatoes

2 eggs

½ cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups leftover turkey, shredded

4 eggs

1 cup leftover gravy, reheated

 

Melt butter in oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 

Mix together leftover mashed potatoes, eggs and flour until smooth.  Using a ¼ cup measuring cup, drop scoops of the potato mixture into skillet.  Flatten slightly with a spatula.  Fry for 5 minutes each side or until golden brown on each side.  Work in batches if needed.  Place on paper towels to drain.  Sprinkle evenly with salt.

Add turkey to melted butter and oil remaining in pan.  Fry, slightly, until turkey is brown around the edges and reheated.  Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.

Fry eggs in remaining butter and oil, about 1 minute each side depending on how you like your egg cooked.

To assemble:

Place two mashed potato patties on a plate.  Top with about ¼ cup fried turkey.  Top turkey with a fried egg.  Drizzle about ¼ cup gravy over the top of each Benedict.

Serves 4

 

Sweet Potato Casserole Pancakes with Maple Cranberry Syrup

2 cups baking mix

2 eggs

1 cup leftover apple cider, or milk

¾ cup Leftover Sweet Potato Casserole

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

2 tablespoons butter

Maple Cranberry Syrup:

½ cup leftover cranberry sauce

½ cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon orange zest

 

Preheat griddle to 350 degrees.  Melt butter on griddle.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together baking mix, eggs, apple cider, sweet potato casserole, and pumpkin pie spice until well combined.  Let batter sit for 5 minutes.

Scoop batter onto griddle with a ¼ cup measuring cup.  Cook pancakes until the tops start to bubble and the edges brown, about 3 minutes.  Flip pancakes and cook an additional 2-3 minutes.

Serve with butter and maple cranberry syrup.

For syrup:

In a small sauce pan, whisk together cranberry sauce, syrup and zest.  Cook, over low heat, until warmed through.

Serves 4-6